No Performance Tax
For decades, radio stations, like STAR 99.1 (officially known as WAWZ), have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with musicians and record labels. We play the songs, do interviews with artists and help them build careers, and they benefit from the free promotion by selling CDs, downloads, merchandise, videos and tickets to live concerts. Now the record labels are asking Congress to impose a fee on radio stations who play music. It essentially amounts to a bailout, a reward for clinging to a failing business model.
The fee that STAR 99.1 and other radio stations would incur would cripple the station to effectively serve you, our listeners. Imposing a performance fee will result in the loss of jobs for those in and associated with radio, would force the station to dramatically cut back on services to our listeners and will curtail or eliminate a platform for new artists. STAR 99.1 is owned by a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. It is your tax-deductible gift that sustains us. We felt it was important for you to know how your money will be redirected to support the major record labels, most of which are owned by international conglomerates. We already pay composers and publishers for the right to play their songs, and record labels for the right to play their music on the Internet. The system that is in place today, of free play for free promotion, is fair and equitable to everyone. It has allowed the American music and recording industry to grow these past eight decades, and has allowed local radio stations to better serve you.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please contact your
Representative to voice your opposition to the "Performance Tax". Your
phone call or Email will make a difference. Click
here for a sample letter. Feel free to use any of the
language in this letter... just highlight text, copy and paste into your
Email or letter.
To easily find your Representative and his/her contact information, please visit www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml and click on your state. This will take you to your Representative's Web page. Then Email (you should be able to do this right from the Web page), send a letter or call your Representative. Thank you for your support of STAR 99.1 and local radio.
Scott Taylor
Station Manager
WAWZ STAR 99.1 HD Radio
